Muskoka lake guide
Mary Lake
South Huntsville's Quiet Lake with Deep Water and Eight Islands
- Nearby
- Port Sydney (on south end), Huntsville (12 km north), Bracebridge (35 min south), Utterson (10 min southeast)
- In a line
- Named by surveyor Alexander Murray in 1853 after his daughter Mary Ellen, Mary Lake is the southernmost of the four connected Huntsville chain lakes. Its eight islands include Crown Island ('Place of the Great Otter' in Anishinaabe).
Overview
Mary Lake covers 1,065.5 hectares with a maximum depth of 56.3 m and mean depth of 24.6 m, deeper than Lake Vernon and with cleaner water. Water levels are managed by an MNR dam at Port Sydney Falls where the North Muskoka River exits the lake southward. Fish species include lake trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, lake whitefish, and brook trout, one of the most diverse fisheries in the chain. The Muskoka Bible Centre on the north shore (established 1931) occupies a significant portion of lake frontage with institutional zoning.
Good to know
- Terminal lake of the Huntsville chain before the river exits at Port Sydney Falls, with active water quality monitoring by the Mary Lake Association
- Port Sydney village provides grocery, gas, and postal services within 5 minutes of most lakefront properties
- Two island passages are less than 1 m deep at low water, so navigating the archipelago takes local knowledge
Worth checking
Before you buy on Mary Lake.
- 01
The MNR dam at Port Sydney controls water levels under the Muskoka River Water Management Plan, and the operating range varies up to 0.6 m seasonally. Ask whether fixed docks are built for the regulated range, not just the current-year water level.
- 02
A 2019 subdivision proposal at 553 South Mary Lake Road (29 lots) raised concerns about shared aquifer drawdown. Near approved or pending subdivisions on the south shore, consider a hydrogeological assessment before drilling a new well.
- 03
The Muskoka Bible Centre occupies a significant portion of the north shore. Before buying an adjacent residential lot, ask whether any expansion or intensification applications are pending.
- 04
The lake's eight islands include both private seasonal cottages and unoccupied Crown islands. Boaters can lease Crown islands overnight, but they cannot be acquired, so check this before buying next to one.
General information. Your home inspector, your lawyer and the township confirm the details on any specific property.
Talk to Seth
Thinking about Mary Lake? Call Seth.
He'll tell you the long version: the bays, the roads, and what to look at on any cottage you're considering.